


Love Worth Fighting For

by orphan_account



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, Other, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Sam and Clint are only briefly mentioned, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:46:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27160654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Bucky tries to be happy for Steve when he starts dating Peggy. But it's hard when he has loved him for such a long time. It's even harder when he starts to like Peggy just as much.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Love Worth Fighting For

**Author's Note:**

> Really hope people enjoy this fic. I struggled a bit with it while writing but I do like the end result!
> 
> Feel free to leave a comment or kudos if you enjoyed this <3

Bucky can't remember a time without Steve in his life. It's like his life started that day he met Steve on a playground when they were both kids. Steve had been in a fight with a bully and had been insulted when Bucky intervened. Once Bucky convinced him he didn't think less of Steve for his skinny frame, asthma, and a long list of other ailments, they were the best of friends. And they remained that way, through high school and then college for Steve and the army for Bucky. He may have lost an arm, but he still had Steve. They shared a small apartment and shared almost everything else, too. The only thing Bucky kept from Steve was the fact that he was in love with him. 

So he ignores how much it hurts when Steve tells him he has met a girl he likes. He just smiles at his friend and tells him he's happy. Asks him to tell him more. He wants to be happy for Steve. He wants Steve to be happy. The punk deserves it, so much. Bucky just wishes he could be the one to make Steve smile like that, like all is finally right in the world.

Steve is happy to talk about his crush at any time of the day. Her name is Peggy Carter, she's incredibly smart, absolutely gorgeous, and she doesn't put up with anyone's bullshit. She does sound like the perfect woman for Steve, Bucky has to admit. 

He first meets her a few weeks later and she is as formidable as Steve said she was. Bucky gets why he likes her and he has never seen Steve lose his heart to this extent. It's heartbreakingly beautiful. 

Bucky wonders if it would've been easier if he had hated Peggy. But he can't. Not when she makes Steve happy and not when she is quickly becoming one of his friends. He likes her and respects her. She's clever and witty and he enjoys having her around. She is spending more and more time around the apartment but it just feels like she belongs. Like she has always been in their lives. 

If Bucky had to pick anyone in the world besides himself for Steve, he would pick Peggy Carter. Of course it was never his choice, and Steve found this incredible woman all on his own. 

So he can't hate her or resent her but seeing her and Steve kiss does make his heart hurt a little. And he is lost. He thinks that normally people discuss this sort of thing with their best friend but Bucky went ahead and fell in love with his best friend so he can't ask the person he trusts most in this world for advice. He thinks that Peggy would know what to do but he can't exactly tell her he is in love with her boyfriend. It's a damn shame. 

He tries to ask Clint for advice instead, who is an absolute disaster when it comes to romantic endeavors and then he asks Natasha for advice who says all kinds of cryptic things that make Bucky even more confused and slightly unsettled. He asks Sam for advice who says a lot of sensible if sometimes vague things but ultimately tells Bucky to take a chance or move on. Bucky can’t. So he still doesn't know what to do. All he knows is that he can't lose Steve. And he can't really lose Peggy either, which despite their friendship comes as a surprise to him. She has become important to him, too. He doesn't let a lot of people in these days, but she's up there in the small list of people he trusts unconditionally. 

It hadn't taken Peggy long to figure out that while Steve absolutely loves her, he also has feelings for his best friend. She supposes it should have made her uncomfortable or jealous but it has done none of those things. Looking at Bucky, especially after getting to know him better, she gets it. Gets it very well. Bucky is a kind man with a good heart. One who has seen horrible things and who knows loss, but who still believes in the world at the end of the day. He looks at Steve like he hung the moon and though he doesn't trust the rest of the world quite that much, he treats people with kindness and respect. He is also very easy on the eyes, even though he seems to think differently at times. 

After dating Steve for a couple of months, she has realized that he is not the only one in this relationship with feelings for Bucky Barnes. Confessing this to Steve is easy, just as falling for Bucky was. The look of relief in his eyes warms her heart, yet breaks it just a little. They don't know if Bucky feels the same. For either of them. And they have agreed that they will only do this if they both get to be with him, or not at all. 

They’ve been flirting with him, trying to get him to go along on dates. Bucky either doesn’t see or he sees what they are doing and is too polite to tell them to fuck off. Peggy wishes she knew. She wonders if it is her that is the issue. Because sometimes she catches him looking at Steve and she can definitely see the love in his eyes. She is pretty sure she looks that way at both of them that way. She wants them so much. Needs them like she needs to breathe. 

Soon more weeks have passed and they’ve been trying diligently to get Bucky to see how much they care about him, without any luck. Steve is resting his head on her chest, his small body fitting perfectly into her arms, and he is crying softly. His tears are staining the fabric of her dress. Now that he has admitted to himself how much he wants this, it’s hard to not be able to have it. She is trying to comfort him, but her heart is hurting too. Once she allowed herself to look and want, it’s all that’s been on her mind. And Bucky still doesn’t see. Or doesn't want to. 

Dealing with his feelings for Steve was hard enough, realizing he has also developed feelings for his best friend’s girlfriend feels like a painful, cruel joke from the universe. And they’ve been so good to him, so perfect. They always try to include him, even though it would be perfectly acceptable if they wanted to spend time without a third wheel. Sometimes he almost fools himself. Thinks they are flirting with him. It’s ridiculous. They are just being kind. Just being the wonderful people that they are. He will never get to have them. But he loves them so fucking much. 

He’s been talking with Sam and Natasha about it a lot. Sam’s advice about either going for it or needing to move on is making more and more sense. But Bucky still can’t go for it, can’t come between them and ruin things between Steve and the first woman to love him the way Bucky does. The first woman to see Steve’s worth and truly, deeply love him. And he respects Peggy too damn much. Loves her too much, too, if he’s being honest. He loves her as much as he loves Steve at this point and it's terrifying and heartbreaking, because he will never get to have either of them. He thinks that one day he will watch them get married and he'll be on his own. 

So the only option is moving on but he can’t do that while living with Steve. And practically living with Peggy, too, considering how much time they all spend together. He has to move out, get his own space. Luckily Natasha has offered him her spare room. The only thing that’s left to do is telling Steve and Peggy. 

He walks around his bedroom and looks out of the window. Then he moves on and walks around the living room and the kitchen. He sighs. He and Steve, and later Peggy, have made some good memories here. He's going to miss this place and he is going to miss them. But it's for the best. He needs to move on with his life. He can't keep wishing for what he cannot have. He keeps repeating this to himself, as if saying it often enough will make it hurt less. 

He sits down on the couch. His arm wrapped around his legs. His face is wet with tears. He tells himself it doesn't matter. That he can do this. Even if the thought of leaving is unbearable. He has to make the smart choice. The right one. There is no other solution to his predicament. 

Steve and Peggy walk into the apartment carrying bags with groceries. They've gotten all of Bucky's favorites, hoping to woo him with a nice home-cooked meal. They've decided to just tell him about their feelings tonight and see how he reacts. If it's a no, at least they will know then instead of hoping and wondering endlessly. Steve calls out Bucky's name and when all they get in reply is a soft, broken 'Hi' they share a look of concern. 

"Go be there for him," Peggy says firmly, "and I'll be there in a minute." 

Steve nods and heads into the living room, while Peggy quickly puts away the groceries. She joins them just moments later. Steve is holding him, kneeling next to the couch and Bucky lets out a sob. Her chest aches at the sight of Bucky's tear-streaked face and his obvious distress. 

"What's wrong darling?" She asks gently. 

She tries to stay steady but it's hard with how worried she is about him. 

"I have to move out," Bucky says sadly. 

Steve makes a wounded noise and Bucky lets out another sob. Peggy is pretty sure her own face shows how much those words make her hurt, too. 

"Why?" She asks. 

Her voice breaks a little. She hopes she's not the cause of this. She can't bear that. She sits down next to him, touches his hand carefully. 

"Because," He takes a deep breath, "I can't keep intruding on your lives, your relationship," He forces the words out. 

"Bullshit," Steve says vehemently, "That's fucking bullshit. You aren't intruding on anything. We want you here. I need you Bucky. Please." 

Peggy watches as her boyfriend shatters. 

"If anyone intruded it would be me, Bucky, you don't have to leave," Peggy says, "If you need me to, I can keep my distance. Though I admit I enjoy spending time with you as much as I enjoy spending time with Steve." 

"But you are together and I am me," Bucky looks away. 

Steve gives her a desperate look and she gives him a quick nod. It's time to just confess. They are about to lose Bucky anyway, so it's time to take the risk. This is not how they had planned this but there is no choice now. They can only hope for the best. Hope that he is willing to stay.

“We’ve been wanting, hoping, to show you that we,” Peggy says, her hands trembling with want and fear, “Steve and I both have feelings for you. Romantic feelings. We were hoping to ask you out. Now, we don’t want to pressure you but if you are only leaving because you think we don’t want you here, you are dead wrong,” She looks straight into his eyes. 

“Both of you?” He asks, “Honestly?” 

“Both of us, yes,” Steve says hopefully. 

Bucky bites his lip, “I’ve loved Steve for as long as I can remember, but I never acted on it. Didn’t think I stood a chance and I couldn’t… being your friend was better than having none of you,” He looks at Steve, then turns to Peggy, “and when he met you… I wanted so badly to be happy. He finally met someone who knew he was as amazing as I thought he was. And I was a bit jealous. And I didn’t want to get between the two of you. I knew I had to do something. Because Steve deserves to be loved and I couldn’t… can’t mess that up. And then, I realized I had feelings for you too Peggy. Leaving seemed like the only option.” He says. 

“But it’s not,” She says, moving closer to him, “it’s not. I have to admit, I was worried that you might only care for Steve.” 

“No...I might have loved him first but you stole what was left of my heart,” Bucky says. 

“So, do you want to give this a go? A relationship with both of us?” Steve asks. 

Bucky nods. Steve leans in and presses their lips together. Peggy smiles at the sight of it. Once Steve lets go, she leans in and kisses Bucky too. Bucky is holding Steve’s hand and Peggy's hand is placed on his knee. 

“My boys,” She says fondly when they part. 

“We were actually going to make you dinner tonight,” Steve says, “if you are interested in that?” 

“I am,” Bucky says with a huge smile on his face, “I should probably call Natasha and tell her I won’t be using her spare room after all.” 

“We’ll get started on dinner and you can make your call,” Peggy says, squeezing his leg gently before getting up. 

She helps Steve up off his knees and takes him into the kitchen with her. It has been an emotional evening, but with a good end to it. She’s sure of that. 

Bucky dials Natasha’s number, his friend picks up immediately. 

“You changed your mind?” Natasha says knowingly. 

“Yes. How did you? Nevermind, never question how you know things,” Bucky says, shaking his head a little, “I uhm. Won’t be needing your spare room. I might actually be dating now. Both of them.” 

“I always know these things,” Natasha states, “and good. I will tell Sam he owes me 20 bucks. This will be good for all of you.” 

Bucky doesn’t question anything Natasha says. It was best to accept that she just knew a lot of things, even things she probably shouldn’t know. It usually turns out well and he’s too happy to think too much about it, anyway. He has everything he didn’t think he could have and he feels like the luckiest man in the world. Sure, there will be hard times in the future and he knows they will have to work hard to make things work. But this love is worth fighting for and it’s a privilege to love and be loved by Steve and Peggy. He can be happy and he thinks they can be too. That’s all that matters. 

**Author's Note:**

> I am hawkeyeandthewintersoldier on tumblr as well :)


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